Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Christmas Sense

You know, I got to thinking the other day about the Christmas Season and what it means to different people. And I started wondering what it is that people celebrate when they don't believe in Christ. It certainly can't be Santa Clause, I think we have all determined the truth about his existence (for the little ones though, he IS real!). Is it the presents then? Or the dinner? The cookies, the cards, the snow? What do they celebrate? Then, it hit me. An oh-so-sly twist of irony from God Himself. It made me laugh. These non-believers in their infinite wisdom of all things mortal, fail to realize that every year, as they decorate the Christmas tree, and bake goodies for their neighbors and wrap gifts to place under the tree, are in truth, paying homage to their God they renounce on every other day. They acknowledge His life and death without realizing it. Some may claim that Christ never lived, that He never came into the world, but with records that date back over 2,000 years, who can deny that he DID live? We may not be able to prove of his mortal existence (Bible excluded momentarily), but we certainly can't say he didn't exist. Even if he WAS just an ordinary man? But then again, if a man named Jesus Christ was so ordinary, why are we celebrating his life over 2,000 years later? Certainly Gandhi was an extraordinary man of many good deeds and a lifetime of accomplishments, why then, do we not celebrate his life every year with trees and cards and well wishing? Perhaps then, the truth might lie within each of us, and our willingness to open our eyes, and hearts to a simple, but extraordinary man named Jesus, that was born so long ago, to save us from our own silly ignorance. We celebrate His life every year at Christmas-time and Easter and for perhaps, too few of us, on Sunday's. Whether or not we pass those words from our mouth or remain flatly indignant each year, we acknowledge His power and glory, especially at Christmas-time because we know He lives.

A new year is coming, and perhaps a time for new beginnings. My family and I are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (or Mormon's if you prefer that term). We believe in God, his Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. We believe that Christ came to this world in the humblest of beginnings and lived His life and died for us, and will come again. We also believe that the gospel was restored to it's entirety through a man chosen by God, Joseph Smith in the early 1800's. We believe that families are eternal and are CENTRAL to God's plan and only through the sealing powers of the temple can we be together forever with our spouse and family. Please take this special time of year to reflect on the true meaning of the season and perhaps what God's plan for you is.

I wish each and every one of you the Merriest Christmas ever and wonderful everything! Our family has been eternally blessed by Him, and we wish those same wonderful blessings on each and every one of you!